1935 Delage D8 85 ,7 pass sedan value

[sbardin]

I have a good friend in France that has a 1935 Delage D8 85 7 pass sedan LHD (has jump seats) in original condition.Looks like 107K kilometers on odometer.They want to sell it and we have searched for what it might be worth or fair value and can't find any.They are the second owner.It would need some restoration.Sometime after the war the engine & transmission was replaced with a later model Chrysler.This is a large car (Pierce Arrow size)that measures over 6 meters long.Apart from that the car has never been apart.True barn find.Please email: sbardin32@gmail.com.Include your phone number and I will call if you prefer.Had help posting the pics,see below. Its been sitting in the same spot for 25 - 30 yrs that I know of.Thanks,Sheldon

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2016 by sbardin (see edit history)

[alsancle]

Hi Sheldon,

 

Posting them here might be helpful.   The D8 is a great chassis and with attractive bodywork brings lots of money.  I have never seen a 4 door D8 which I assume a 7 passenger sedan must be.  The missing engine is certainly a bit of a problem too as they D8 is a rare rare car.    Almost impossible to put a value on as there are no comps that I can think of. 

 

 

[alsancle]

Here are the pictures.  Neat car.  Left hand drive?  I can't say I have ever seen another one.  Is there a coachbuilders tag on it?

[sbardin]

14 minutes ago, alsancle said:

Here are the pictures.  Neat car.  Left hand drive?  I can't say I have ever seen another one.  Is there a coachbuilders tag on it? Yes LHD,No coach builder tag but maybe he doesn't know where to look.

 

 

[Ivan Saxton]

If they still have the original engine and the Cotal "electric" transmission, it would be a much more attractive proposition.   Surely one of the big straight 8 Chrysler engines of the might perform well and economically; because the Rickardo combustion chamber is superior to the canned fish tin shape which really needed twin ignition.   They probably replaced the power unit because it may have been difficult to find someone to work on the Cotal transmission.  I gather the electic bit had function with the gear changing.  In the mid 1960s one of my father's friends had a D8120SS or similar appellation roadster which would have been about the same year .   He offered it to me at a price far beyond what I could afford;  but most of the cars that far into the 1930s did not appeal to me.  With a semi-automatic gear change they were too modern then for my interest.   Another of my father's friends had an earlier D8 with a throw-away Martin and King body;  but when I was in a position to offer old Bill real money for it,  someone else without mechanical ability and without skills to make a more elegant and suitable body was able to lay more cash in front of him.  Someone in France must have a suitable engine and transmission;  but you might have to be fluent in the language.

[1937hd45]

A side profile shot sure would help get a better idea of how that car looks. Bob

[sbardin]

13 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

A side profile shot sure would help get a better idea of how that car looks. Bob

 

We will be getting 3/4 front and rear views and interior as soon as they can pull out what's next to it.

[1937hd45]

Look forward to the outside photo shoot. Bob

[sbardin]

3 hours ago, Ivan Saxton said:

If they still have the original engine and the Cotal "electric" transmission, it would be a much more attractive proposition.   Surely one of the big straight 8 Chrysler engines of the might perform well and economically; because the Rickardo combustion chamber is superior to the canned fish tin shape which really needed twin ignition.   They probably replaced the power unit because it may have been difficult to find someone to work on the Cotal transmission.  I gather the electic bit had function with the gear changing.  In the mid 1960s one of my father's friends had a D8120SS or similar appellation roadster which would have been about the same year .   He offered it to me at a price far beyond what I could afford;  but most of the cars that far into the 1930s did not appeal to me.  With a semi-automatic gear change they were too modern then for my interest.   Another of my father's friends had an earlier D8 with a throw-away Martin and King body;  but when I was in a position to offer old Bill real money for it,  someone else without mechanical ability and without skills to make a more elegant and suitable body was able to lay more cash in front of him.  Someone in France must have a suitable engine and transmission;  but you might have to be fluent in the language.

 

Ivan, Thanks much for your input.I personally am fluent in French and the owner is able to communicate somewhat well in English

[George Smolinski]

38 minutes ago, sbardin said:

 

We will be getting 3/4 front and rear views and interior as soon as they can pull out what's next to it.

What's next to it? Just curious. Photos of what's next to it?

[sbardin]

1 minute ago, George Smolinski said:

What's next to it? Just curious. Photos of what's next to it?

 

Other French cars.Peugeots in the 50's and an old Jeep

[mercer09]

whatever the value in original state, I would suspect about a 40% loss due to the drive train. For a purist, this might take them out of the equation.

[alsancle]

Here are a couple of side shots.

[1912Staver]

There is a Delage D8 engine and G. box on PreWarCar.com  for 15000 Euro's. It sounds like a lot for a pretty rough looking engine but it might be what this car needs to find a buyer.

 

Greg in Canada

Edited April 7, 2016 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[nzcarnerd]

I have no idea what someone would pay for this but as it is 'only' a lesser D8-85 and a 'boring' 7 passenger sedan without its original engine at that, and it look as if it needs everything done to it I don't think it will be very much. I think a restored, custom-bodied D8-120 would be worth many times what this car is worth. It has not been stated just what model Chrysler engine is in it, whether six or eight and from what year, and what transmission.  There's nothing wrong with a Chrysler engine. In this case it is just in the wrong car.

[alsancle]

Good catch on the engine:  http://www.prewarcar.com/classifieds/ad195792.html

 

I think that engine and this car need to be put together!

[alsancle]

Here are more pictures.

 

Edited April 8, 2016 by alsancle (see edit history)

[sbardin]

Bump

[auburnseeker]

That engine looks an awful lot like a 216 Chevy 6 to me.  I could be wrong though. 

[CarlLaFong]

^^^^^Me too. Chrysler OHV six???? I don't think so

[Ivan Saxton]

I certainly looks General Motors style, a bit reminiscent of the Opel design that was taken for Australian GM Holden production until about the early 70s when they changed to a different engine with a 7 main bearing crankshaft.  This has the starter on the opposite side to a Holden.  This does not look as big as the military use engines which may have become available as salvage or surplus.  Those were sometimes side-by-side mounting of paired mirror image engines in amphibious vehicles.   Indeed, the problem and ideal is to see the  car with a correct engine.

[nzcarnerd]

The only way to prove what the engine is would be to check the serial number.  I think most likely it is a Chev 216.  There was also a 235 used in Chev trucks  -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_G506.  The bigger Chev trucks in WW2 used the GMC 270.  I guess it could possibly be an Opel engine but I wouldn't know one if I saw one.  I guess it is similar to the Chev.  The Opel Blitz truck/Opel Admiral car engine was a 3.6 litre ohv six which is the same near enough to the size as the Chev 216.  Even if it is only a 216 it is not too different in size and output to the original Delage engine.

[Restorer32]

Would be a shame for this car not to be made whole again.

[West Peterson]

Agree. It is a very, very restorable car, even for a novice (with the exception of swapping the engine and getting the wheels to go around). And, as limousines go, is quite attractive, and the interior features are very nice. It needs to be saved.

[alsancle]

Agreed West.  The interior is cool, especially the buckets.  I think you get the original engine back in it and do some mechanical stuff.  Wipe the dust off of it and be a star at most Concours.

[8E45E]

Best part is the car appears to be almost 100% COMPLETE!!

 

That means a LOT with rare car such as this one!

 

Craig

 

 

[sbardin]

bump

[X-Frame]

Don't forget pictures of a peek underneath the car (chassis). 

[TG57Roadmaster]

Beautiful limousine. It looks like a little Peugeot 203 sitting next to it.

 

TG